Tablet for a 4 year old?

elpico

Tesco's new tablet hudl has to be worth a look. At £118 quid for an android tablet kids will have access to the same decent apps, etc for your samsungs/etc tablets.

Saw one review here http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews/tablets/3470163/tesco-hudl-hands-on-review/ which warned the camera was a bit iffy.

I'm considering it for my 4 year old, but in 2 minds whether to hold off another year. When he gets engrossed in my ipad (drawing or playing thomas tank game) it does tend to zombiefy him...

Sparhawke

I have not read all the replies given, but I know most would lamblast* you for even considering a tablet for a 4 year old but I say so long as you know what you are getting into you might as well, I had access to a spectrum 48k when I was 3 and I didn't turn out too bad.

Since you have your heart set on it, I would go with the Kindle fire, if nothing else because of the price.

You can pick one up for £99, saving £30 with free delivery

http://www.amazon.co.uk/kindle-fire-tablet-amazon-tablets/dp/B0083Q04M2

Just don't post when your kid spends thousands of pounds on 'free' games



*Exploding mutton ahoy!

notanewuser

I had access to computers at 3 as well. I didn't have one of my own though until I was 8 or so.

Why isn't access to something enough? Why do they have to have their own?

flea72

notanewuser wrote: »

I had access to computers at 3 as well. I didn't have one of my own though until I was 8 or so.

Why isn't access to something enough? Why do they have to have their own?

Because sometimes things clash. I work from home, so if im on the PC during the day, then the kids cant have access. By the time its free, the kids are in bed.

Also saves arguments, over whos turn it is next, because different age children have different demands. Youngest only has 30-60 mins online homework a week. Eldest has at least an hour a day and thats necessary use, if they want to surf thats additional time. If they didnt have individual access, then i would be constantly refereeing

Me and OH share an ipad, but at times even we have disagreements over whos turn it is next and who has hogged it the most lol

flea72

notanewuser wrote: »

I had access to computers at 3 as well. I didn't have one of my own though until I was 8 or so.

Why isn't access to something enough? Why do they have to have their own?

And thats how times change. We didnt have a household pc until i was in my teens, i didnt get my own, until i was married and in my mid 20s (still went home and used parents up til then)

Your criteria of own PC at 8, has now transpired into own tablet at 4

mummyroysof3

I don't recomend the kindle fire personally as the amazon store is not as good as the play store. Also I hope my 8 year old doesn't see this as he is not allowed his own tablet yet.

notanewuser

flea72 wrote: »

And thats how times change. We didnt have a household pc until i was in my teens, i didnt get my own, until i was married and in my mid 20s (still went home and used parents up til then)

Your criteria of own PC at 8, has now transpired into own tablet at 4

Huge difference between ACCESS and having one of your own. It was a Sinclair ZX81 for programming.

Only has computers at home because of dad's job.

Mum is an education specialist who extols the virtues and dangers of kids being introduced to screens for too long too young.

It's all about balance.

Sparhawke

Thing is, while I may have had access to a Spectrum 48k no one was under any illusions that it was not mine as I spent the most amount of time overall on it, and yet I still managed to go out and mess around for a while.

Balance is indeed good.

Bublin1

Well......I've just bought my 4 year old dd a Samsung 7" tablet for £132, I am typing on it now so I use it too, especially when I can't be bothered with cranking up the laptop.

She has been asking for an 'ipad' for a year.....yes a year because nearly all of my friends and family have a tablet and she loves them.

I was going to buy a leappad but they look kiddish and I know she'll out grow it. There is also no way I'm spending £20 on games.

We've had it for 1 week and right now she has about 20 games on the tablet and they're all free from Google Play. All educational and she's learning at an accelerated rate. We sit together and 'play' but she has already learned how to turn it on and find her Apps. Today we downloaded a Count Down To Xmas App - some fun.

She loves all the usual stuff that kids love but this is the future......a great learning tool......alot of schools use tablets now.

smitchy73

IMO, go for it, to hell with what others say, if you think it's a good idea for your kids to get it, then that's all that matters. I think there are rules to follow, similar to what one post said, have them sitting either on the sofa or at a table, not leaving it lying around on the floor, making sure it is kept or put on charge when required, putting it away safely when done, and probably the most importantly making sure they don't spend too long on it.
We're also looking at the Tesco Hudl, which is a great price, okay not as good as the Nexus 7, but the difference between the Hudl and the Nexus 7/Ipad Mini/Samsung isn't worth the difference in cost. Kindle also has purchasing apps to only the Amazon store. Also with Hudl you get a T(Tesco app) with one button stop to Blinkbox, Tesco online, Tesco bank etc. Don't if this still applies either but if you buy a chart dvd at Tesco and link your clubcard with BB you get a free download of the dvd. I also believe that there is a step by step quide for setting up the parental controls on the Hudl too.
My kids who are 9 & 8 have been playing on a DS since they were 3/4, then they had a 3DS, and they've been playing on our laptops, gran's laptop and pc, and for the past two and a half years on an Ipad 2, all with no problems, they treat all of these 'gadgets' as their own and with respect as that's how we brought them up, it will be the same if Santa brings them a tablet this year, we specifically held off last year to make sure they would look after them.